Tanning FAQ
- Why Tan?
- Light is essential to all life on earth. There are various physiological and psychological reasons why exposure to light is desirable and necessary. There’s a growing body of scientific evidence showing people actually require light exposure to function effectively. Light exposure causes the brain to suppress the release of the hormone melatonin that acts as a depressant in the body and exposure to light produces various health benefits, such as the production of the very necesssary Vitamin D3 in the prevention of bone diseases (such as osteoporosis) and in the improvement of symptoms of psoriasis.
- People who are exposed to longer hours of bright light feel happier and are able to enjoy life. Potential health benefits include but are not limited to: production of Vitamin D, decreased risks of breast and colon cancer, and reduced risk of sunburn. The psychological benefits of tanning are also well researched. Sunlight deprivation has been linked to some mental disorders. There are numerous reasons, physical and psychological, why exposure to ultraviolet light is desirable. FDA regulations at the present time prevent the indoor tanning industry from making any medical representations or claims related to indoor tanning exposure. And of course, people know that a great tan looks good, feels good, and can add to personal confidence and attractiveness
- Smart Tanning
- Indoor tanning eliminates the “guesswork” of tanning outdoors and is easy, convenient and private. Your indoor tanning experience at Sun On 6 is supervised by a trained professional who will help you achieve the desired color you want
- Is indoor tanning the same as tanning outside in the sun?
- Your skin produces a tan the same way in an indoor tanning salon as it does when you lay out in the sun: through ultraviolet (UV) light. However, out in the sun, you cannot control the amount of UV light exposure and trying to achieve an all-over even-body tan is very difficult. Indoor tanning allows you to control the amount of UV light, for all all-over even tan. With indoor tanning you can gradually increase your exposure time eliminating any sunburn, which is harmful to the skin.
- Indoor tanning technology includes an exposure schedule that factors in individual skin type and appropriate time exposure.
- With convenient indoor tanning you can tan at any time and aren’t limited to daylight hours or weather conditions.
- With private indoor tanning you can tan in the nude or partially nude to eliminate tan lines.
- You can help ensure that you won’t get a sunburn when following an appropriate time exposure.
- Outdoor sun exposure is an uncontrollable environment as no one can control the sun.
- Outdoor exposure varies in intensity depending on such factors as altitude, cloud cover, air pollutants, reflective surfaces, times of day, time of year, and proximity to the equator.
- The controlled environment and the ability to time your UV exposure to the minute makes burning less likely with a tanning bed than with outdoor sun exposure.
- Will tanning affect my Tattoo(s)?
- Yes! Uv light can cause the colors of a tattoo to fade. Tattoo Balm is available at the counter and is perfect for preserving the life of your tattoo.
- Will tanning affect my nails?
Yes.The strong ultraviolet rays emitted from tanning bed bulbs are extremely damaging to expensive nail treatments. UV rays turn French manicures YELLOW and most UV topcoats are ineffective. It only takes a couple of tanning sessions to notice the discoloration. UV rays also shorten the life of gels and acrylics by drying them out and causing them to lift from the nail bed quicker. Your nail treatments are expensive to maintain. PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT WITH NAILSAVERS!
- What should I wear to tan?
- Some people choose to wear a swimsuit, just as they would at the beach. But, because of the privacy of indoor tanning, most tan in the nude to avoid tan lines. Any skin that has never been exposed to ultraviolet light before will be more sensitive. These parts must acquire a tan slowly. Cut down the exposure time for these areas to 1/3 or less of the total time recommended by your tanning professional. When you can’t see any tan lines on your body at all, it’s ok to expose that skin the same length of time as the rest of your body.Most people choose to wear nothing at all while tanning and should always remember to use extra caution on areas not recently exposed to sunlight. If may also consider wearing a swimsuit or undergarments.
- How do the beds and booths work?
- Tanning beds and booths act like the sun. The sun emits three kinds of UV rays that make you tan. UV-C, the shortest wavelength of the three is the most harmful. Today’s sophisticated tanning lamps filter out this type of UV light. UV-B, the middle wavelength, begins the tanning process, by stimulating the melanocyte cells that produce melanin, however overexposure can cause sunburn. Melanin will be bronzed by UV-A, the longest wavelength, by oxidizing the melanin and producing the tan. Technologically advanced tanning lamps use the best ratio of UV-B and UV-A light to provide the greatest tanning results, with a lowered risk of overexposure.
- What about my Lips?
- Lips do not have Melanocytes and therefore cannot produce melanin for protection. Lips need to be protected with a lip balm containing an SPF/Sun block. We offer a wide variety of lip balms at the counter. Try our fun ballmania!
- Why should I use indoor tanning lotions?
- Indoor tanning lotions also known as “accelerators” and “bronzers” add nutrients your body needs to produce melanin. Our line of quality accelerators contain vitamin A, C, E, and botanicals that moisturize and increase blood flow, thus increasing oxygenation of melanin cells to help speed up the tanning process. UV rays reflect off of dry skin, the moisturizers in tanning accelerators help you absorb UV rays for better results. Need More on bronzers……You will tan about twice as fast and keep your tan twice as long.
- Is indoor tanning as effective as outdoor tanning?
- Yes, in fact, sometimes more so because you are in a controlled environment. Your skin produces a tan the same way in an indoor tanning salon as it does when you lay out in the sun: through ultraviolet (UV) light. However, out in the sun, you cannot control the amount of UV light exposure and trying to achieve an all-over even-body tan is very difficult. Indoor tanning allows you to control the amount of UV light, for all all-over even tan. With indoor tanning you can gradually increase your exposure time eliminating any sunburn, which is harmful to the skin. The results and convenience of an “indoor tan” allows a year round healthy looking tan without concerns of prolonged exposure to the burning rays of the sun.
- Can I use outdoor oils and lotions in the tanning bed?
- No, just as the word indicates outdoor products should ONLY be used outdoors, as they can cause a film on the acrylic. This actually inhibits the tanning process, rather than acting as an amplifying agent. We offer many excellent indoor tanning products for that purpose. Ask our staff for their reccomendations.
- How long will it take to see results?
- To build an awesome tan, tan regularly. Allowing too much time between visits will cause your tan to fade. Most people will see a skin color change after the first few sessions. Normally, you will have a good base tan in 6-10 sessions. Then one or two sessions a week thereafter will maintain your tan year round. There are special cells in the skin called melanocytes. Ultraviolet B rays stimulate these cells and cause them to produce melanin. As these cells migrate to the surface of the skin, ultraviolet A rays oxidize them; thus creating a tan. Each of us has a different amount of melanin. Fair-skinned, fair-haired people generally have less than dark-haired, dark-skinned people. This determines, for the most part, how quickly and how dark your skin will tan.
- How do I keep my tan?
- Moisturize! Moisturize! Healthy skin tans faster, darker, and retains a tan longer. Drink plenty of water and make sure to keep your skin moisturized with a high quality lotion especially formulated-for-tanning. Your skin is constantly renewing itself. The dryer your skin is, the faster it wants to shed its top layers and bring new skin to the surface. You loose the top layers, you loose your tan. Dry layers on the surface of your skin will block the UV rays from getting to the other layers to tan them. Even with moisturizing you will still need to maintain a tanning schedule of every 4 to 5 days, or at least once a week, to keep your tan, because your skin is reproducing new cells all the time.
- My face and legs don’t tan very well. What should I do?
- Our face is the only part of our body that does not produce it’s own moisture. Our legs become a little dryer because of clothing, hosiery etc. Fact is that moist skin tans much better than dry skin. Use a moisturizer at least twice daily. We offer three great facial and leg products. Ask the staff for their reccomendations.
- How much time should I let pass between tanning sessions?
- The FDA requires 24 hours between tanning sessions. We recommend allowing at least 2 days in between sessions whenever time allows.
- Should I use an “upgrade” machine?
- Upgrade beds are ’super’ tanners, tripling or more the power of regular tanning equipment with more intense lamps and changes of the percentages of different types of rays. High performance upgrade equipment can tan you faster, deeper, and tans last longer. In addition, there are many other features: upgraded cooling systems, specialized facial lamps, gentler tanning rays, and more.
- Can tanning cause wrinkles?
- Maybe. And your skin will wrinkle if you don’t tan. Age, Diet, Genetics, certain behaviors (smoking cigarettes) and environmental pollution can wrinkle your skin more than moderate sun tanning. Overexposure, not moderate exposure, can cause the skin to wrinkle and therefore, it is advised to avoid overexposure.
- Do I really have to wear eye goggles?
- Yes! It is very important! Your skin can tan - your eyes can’t! Federal law requires all tanning salons carry proper eye protection. This eyewear must meet federal government standards by blocking 99% of UVA and UVB rays. Closing the eyelids or using sunglasses is not adequate protection as the UV rays will easily penetrate these things and continue into the eyes. Adjust your eyewear once in a while during your tanning session will help reduce the demarcation of tanned to non-tanned skin. “raccoon eyes” You can make this adjustment by gently sliding your eyewear to a new position. You should never lift the eyewear off of your eyes during adjustment.
- Can I tan if I’m pregnant?
- Please consult your physician. Although we know that there is no danger from UV rays since they cannot penetrate deeper than the dermis (skin layer). Pregnant women are advised to be cautious with saunas, hot tubs and other things that can cause excessive heat to build up in the uterus. If your physician okay’s your tanning, speak to our Tanning Consultant about which units and times of day are the coolest.
- Can indoor tanning cure acne?
- Phototherapy (use of UV light) has been used in treating the skin problems of this condition. Tanning dries the skin and this can help keep acne outbreaks to a minimum in acute cases and can help eliminate outbreaks in mild cases.
- Does tanning help treat depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder?
- A growing body of scientific evidence exists that shows some people require more light exposure in order to function properly. Bright light exposure, such as the mid-day summer sun, causes the brain to suppress the release of the hormone melatonin which acts as a depressant in the body if generated during the daytime. Effected people, exposed to longer hours of bright light, feel happier and more able to enjoy life. Bright light sources emitting only visible light are now frequently used to successfully treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Sub-syndrome Seasonal Affective Disorder (SSAD).